Pipe-wrench.



A. K. REED.

PIPE WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1914.

Patented 0ct.20,1914.

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H'H; (n PHDTD-LITHOY. WASHINGTON. 0.1?

ANDREW K. REED, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PIPE-WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

Application filed May 19, 1914. Serial No. 839,491.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW K. Rnnn, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Piperenches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to wrenches of the pipe or compression type, and consists of certain improvements which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawing which forms a part thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a wrench having jaws movable with respect to each other and so arranged that a movement of the handle or handles increases the compressive action of the jaws upon the article held.

It has a further object to provide means for adjusting one jaw with respect to an other whereby various sizes of articles may be clamped and held in position.

It has for a further object to provide removable auxiliary or supplemental jaws adaptedto engage with the permanent jaws of the wrench so that articles of small dimension may be as readily held as articles of large size.

My invention also comprehends details of construction, which, together with features above specified, will be better understood by reference to the drawings, in which Figurel represents a side elevation of a wrench embodying my invention; Fig. 2 represents a section on line 0c-m of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 represents a section on line g of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 represents a side'elevation, partly in section, showing a modified type of jaw structure; Fig. 5 represents a perspective of one of the jaw inserts; Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of a portion of the head of the wrench showing another embodiment of the invention.

1 and 2 designate respectively the handles of the wrench, the former, called for convenience the main handle, having a bifurcated body portion 3' carrying an extension arm 4 which serves to partially encircle the article to be engaged by the wrench.

5 designates a jaw member preferably of arc shape and united to the arm 4, in the present instance, by an ear or lug 6 which is pivoted at 7 to the said arm so that the jaw member may have a certain latitude of movement for proper adjustment with the article. I

8 designates a second jaw member substantially similar in configuration to the jaw member 5 and preferably having an ear 9 which extends between the bifurcated portion 3 and is slotted as shown at 10 to receive a fastening pin or bolt 11. In connection with the slot of the ear 9 it will be noted that it is substantially larger than the diameter of the pivot member so that the aw member 8 may move longitudinally of the body portion 3 or radially with respect to an article located between the two jaws 5 and 8.

The jaw 8, in the present instance, is shifted from one position to another by means of a longitudinal movement given to the handle member 2, this being provided for by threading the end portion 12 of the handle 2 where it extends between the bifurcated portion of the body 3. The handle 2 for convenience is called the operating handle. In normal position of the parts the end 12 bears against the ear 9.

13 designatesa bushing suitably mounted in the body portion 3 and provided with a suitable aperture to receive the end 12 of the handle and also to hold a thumb or leader nut 14 in position, this latter being threaded upon the end 12 and having its knurled surface accessible from the outside of the body portion 3.

In Fig. 5 I have shown an insert or supplemental jaw 15 having its rear face recessed to provide flanges 16 which latter are adapted to straddle the jaw member 8 or 9, as the case may be, and thus locate the insert upon the face of the jaw. The function of this insert is to reduce the diameter of the gripping jaws so that small pipes or articles may be as readily handled as those of larger diameter, and it will be seen that the outer face of the insert is suitably shaped as shown at 17 to form a gripping surface. In Fig. 4 the supplemental jaw is shown in its operative position.

In Fig. .6 I have illustrated a modified type of wrench head wherein the extension arm 41 of Fig. 1 is divided into two parts 18 and 19, the former forming an integral part of the body portion 3 while the latter is attached thereto by an adjusting screw 20 passing through the respective flanges 21 and 22. In this form of the invention the opening between the jaws may be varied within suitable limits and is designed to meet all the requirements as to sizes in which a wrench of this type is adapted to be used.

In the operation of the device the wrench is placed about a pipe or like article with the jaws adjacent the sides and the leader nut 14 is then rotated to advance the arm 2 in a direction to bring the jaw 8 into clamping relation with the article which is thus held firmly engaged and may be manipulated as desired. It will further be noted that the extremity of the end 12' of the handle 2- is beveled as shown at 23 so that when the two handles 1 and 2 are drawn together in the act of holding the wrench, a cam action will transmit pressure to the jaw 8 and materially increase the gripping action.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a complete, unitary wrench structure adapted for compression purposes and providing a wide range of sizes of articles to be handled by the wrench and wherein the pipe or article when once engaged by the jaw is held with increasing compressive action as the handles of the wrench are drawn together. A further feature resides in the provision of supplemental jaws or inserts whereby articles of various diameters may be readily clamped and held by the wrench.

It will also be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have in the present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same is suscepti ble of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its ad vantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a wrench, a main handle, an operating handle pivoted thereto on a fulcrum having a fixed axial position on the main handle and having on its end a cam face, a pair of jaws carried by said main handle and arranged in opposed relation said jaws being relatively movable toward and from each other and with respect to said main handle and one of said jaws being slidably mounted, the cam face of said operating handle engaging said slidable jaw to move it, and means for adjusting the length of the operating handle between the slidably mounted jaw and the fulcrum to change the leverage of said operating handle.

2. In a wrench, a main handle, a pair of jaws carried by said main handle and one of which is adjustably movable to and from the other, an oscillatory fulcrum bushing journaled in the main handle to provide a fixed fulcrum axis, an operating handle extending through the bushing transversely to its axis and having at one end a cam portion engaging the adjustably movable jaw, and adjustable means for adjusting the operating handle upon the bushing to vary the leverage between the axis thereof and the cam portion of the handle.

3. In a wrench, a pair of handle members pivoted together, one of said members having a bifurcated portion, a pair of jaws pivoted to said bifurcated portion in opposed relation, one of said jaws being mounted to move longitudinally of said handle, the other handle interfitting with said bifurcated portion and having a threaded end adapted to engage said movable jaw member, and means carried by said bifurcated handle for engaging said threaded portion to move one handle with respect to the other to shift said movable jaw to exert a clamping action.

4-. In a wrench, a pair of handle members pivoted together, one of said members having a bifurcated portion, a pair of jaws pivoted to said bifurcated portion in opposed relation, one of said jaws being mounted to move longitudinally of said handle, the other handle interfitting with said bifurcated portion and having a threaded end adapted to engage said movable jaw member, means carried by said bifurcated handle for'engaging said threaded portion to move one handle with respect to the other to shift said movable jaw to exert a clamping actiomand a supplemental jaw adapted to be removably secured, to either'of said jaw members.

In testimony of" which invention, I'hereunto set my hand.

ANDREW K. REED. lVitnesses:

R. M. HUNTER, E. W. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington. D. G. 

